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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27546628">Couldn´t let you do it</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/NinaTaylor/pseuds/NinaTaylor'>NinaTaylor</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adorable Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Awesome Michelle Jones, Bucky Barnes &amp; Steve Rogers Friendship, Canon Divergence - Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Genius Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe), James "Rhodey" Rhodes &amp; Tony Stark Friendship, Ned Leeds is a Good Bro, Parent Pepper Potts, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Saves The Day, Peter Snaps, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Precious Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Steve Rogers &amp; Sam Wilson Friendship, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Lives, Wanda Maximoff &amp; Peter Parker Friendship, Worried May Parker (Spider-Man), Worried Ned Leeds</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-08 20:21:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>12,048</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27546628</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/NinaTaylor/pseuds/NinaTaylor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>During the final battle in Endgame Peter snaps instead of Tony. While everyone worries for the boy to wake up Tony blames himself and Morgan smears chocolate everywhere.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Michelle Jones/Peter Parker, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>155</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Snap</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey everyone, it´s amazing you found my story.<br/>I´ve read some stories where Peter snaps at the end of the final battle in Endgame, instead of Tony and I really liked the idea, so I decided to write my own.<br/>Of course this means there may be some similarities to others stories like this, but I assure you none of this is intentional. I try to write my own story here and I´ve read some other on the same topic. It´s only natural, that some things may have inspired my ideas. If any of you find too many similarities to your own work and you´re not comfortable with it just let me know and we´ll find a solution.</p><p>Also, English is not my first language. I´ve started writing this story in English to keep practicing English now that I´m out of school, there´ll probably be some gramma or spelling mistake, though I´ll do my best to prevent those.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The battle field was an absolute mess. I mean, what did you expect? It was a battle after all. - A battle in space! Holy crap, Peter didn´t sign up for this… He didn´t know where to look, there were aliens everywhere and a whole lot of them tried to kill him. It had been weird enough when that wizard had told him that he had been resurrected and five years had passed and there was going to be a battle and he needed to come with him.<br/>
And then Tony Stark had hugged him! Iron Man had hugged him! It had been nice… he had actually felt calm despite all that mess around them. Mister Stark had always been distant but when he had hugged him it actually felt like he cared deeply about him and after Peter recovered from that overwhelming feeling he actually got to enjoy it. But right now he needed to focus on something else…<br/>
That glowing woman did well against Thanos, but then he used that purple stone to bust everyone away. Luckily Peter´s suit reacted fast and his metal spider-legs clung onto a rock and kept him from being blown away.</p><p>Thanos had the stones! Damn it! The only one near him was Iron Man and he tackled the bad guy, tugging at the gauntlet. Without thinking about it twice Peter swung towards him and helped Mister Stark, who was more than startled by his sudden appearance.<br/>
“Kid! What´re you doing?”, he asked horrified.<br/>
“Helping you!”, Peter retorted. “´s no way you can get that thing off on your own!”<br/>
“I didn´t try to-”, he stopped when Thanos hurled both of them off of him.<br/>
“I am inevitable.”<br/>
Thanos snapped and Peter closed his eyes in anticipation, but nothing happened. No weird, painful sensation as he slowly dispersed into million pieces, no additional screams to the battle that still occurred around them. He opened his eyes again and stared right at Thanos who eyed his gauntlet in disbelieve.</p><p>The stones were missing.</p><p>So that was what Mister Stark had been up to. When he went to help him Mister Stark must have dropped the stones by accident. Meanwhile Iron Man looked around frantically and Peter quickly recovered from his shock to help him.<br/>
And then he spotted the them, lying on the ground, half covered by a broken car door. Before anyone else could spot them he leaped for the stones and let his suit collect them, because he had seen what it did to the body when you touched them.</p><p>There were grunts and punch noises and Peter turned around to see Thanos laying into Mister Stark. Panic rushed through him and in a knee-jerk reaction he moved the stones to his right hand, forming an improvised gauntlet out of the suit.<br/>
It was his fault. He had ruined Mister Stark´s plan. So he would set this right.<br/>
He screamed when the stones were put in place, their power flooded through his veins. He had never felt such pain before, he thought his head was blown apart and his body was ripped in pieces. His spit tasted disgustingly like blood. He fell onto his knees.<br/>
“KID! THROW ´EM AWAY!”, Mister Stark yelled in agony while trying to hold Thanos off as Peter kneeled there, hunched under the stone´s power. “THROW ´EM AWAAAY-ugh.”<br/>
His voice had sounded desperate and it made Peter snap out of his current state. He slowly got on his feet again and stared at Thanos with pure rage. Iron Man lay at the titan´s feet, barely moving. His helmet was completely destroyed and Peter could see the pleading look on his face.<br/>
“You´re too weak, boy. Only I can hold their power at once. That´s why I am-”<br/>
“Inevitable”, Peter gasped. “Y-Yeah, I know.” He lifted his arm with great difficulty and when Thanos noticed he actually was going to do this he roared and dashed forward. “B-But I a-am… an Avenger.”</p><p>And then he snapped his fingers.</p><p>“NOO-”, Thanos´ voice sounded.<br/>
There was an incredible bright flash of light and then everything stopped. There were no sounds anymore, everything was blurry and when Peter thought the pain he had felt before was bad… he had no idea. He could make out a figure in front of him and it probably was speaking, but he could´t figure out what it was as the only thing he heard was a loud, sharp peep.<br/>
When he was finally able to focus his sight slightly he made out Tony Stark, who was crouching in front of him and kept on at him.<br/>
“M-Mister Stark…”, he was able to mutter with a faint voice.<br/>
This two tiny words already took all his strength and his head fell to the side, only supported by his mentor´s hand. His eyes kept flickering between the blurry images in front of him.</p><p> </p><p>“Stark?”, Doctor Strange asked.<br/>
He was the one nearest to him and Peter when it happened.<br/>
“It was me”, Tony muttered and Doctor Strange frowned.<br/>
“What?”<br/>
“It was supposed to be me! Wasn´t it?”<br/>
When Doctor Strange saw the look on his face he knew he should rather remain silent.<br/>
“Yes.”<br/>
Tony clutched into the boy´s shirt where the suit had been destroyed.<br/>
“THEN WHY DOES HE LIE HERE WHEN IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ME!”</p><p>“Oh my god”, Pepper muttered when she discovered them and ran over to Tony to hug him tightly.<br/>
More gasped were heard around them, but Tony didn´t bother to look up or even let go of the kid.<br/>
“He´s just a kid!”, someone exclaimed and Tony tensed even more.<br/>
Yes, he was just a kid. And he single-handedly saved half the universe. And sacrificed himself for that matter. He clenched his fists and stared directly at Doctor Strange.<br/>
“You. How could you let that happen?”, he asked accusingly and heard his own voice crack, the Doctor bowed his head.<br/>
“I didn´t know it would”, he admitted as everyone stared at him. “I told you I saw fourteen million six-hundred and five outcomes. But there are far more than that. That boy must have found one I didn´t know about.”<br/>
He looked at Peter who lay on the ground, his body twisted in a weird way and most of his right side burned. His eyes kept flickering while he watched them arguing in front of him.<br/>
“He is a hero”, Doctor Strange concluded.<br/>
“HE IS A KID!”, Tony yelled. “He shouldn´t need to sacrifice himself for the entire universe!”<br/>
“No one should”, Steve said sternly, watching the kid with great respect and grief. Everyone´s head turned towards him. “But here we are. He did what anyone of us would have done.”<br/>
“Speak for yourself. I don´t wanna die.”<br/>
Everyone turned towards the little racoon, who actually looked a bit sheepish under all those glances. “But… yeah, brave boy”, he added and Quill huffed and gave him a nasty glance.</p><p>“Karen, give me his vitals”, Tony said without paying attention to the others gathering around them.<br/>
"Life functions critical”, the AI´s voice sounded.<br/>
Tony´s face twitched and tears started falling down his cheeks. A hand rested on his shoulder and he could feel Pepper´s presence behind him, but didn´t dare to lean against her, because he would have to move away from Peter.<br/>
“T-Tony…”, the boy suddenly said under great difficulty, his voice only barely audible. Tony looked up and searched for the kid´s eyes with his. “´s not your fault”, Peter breathed, then closed his eyes and went stiff.</p><p>“No…”, Tony gasped and touched his hardened features gently. “No, kid… I…”<br/>
He gave something like a tortured whine and held tightly onto the boy´s body. No one knew what to do as they saw Tony Stark crying over Peter Parker´s corpse.</p><p>Many tears were shed and murmurs went through the crowd of how brave he had been. But none of them dared to approach Tony, let alone pull him away from the kid. Except for Steve Rogers.<br/>
“Tony”, he said and did a few steps towards him. “I know this is hard…”<br/>
“You know nothing!”, Tony spat and Steve nearly flinched when he saw the broken look on his face. ”Do you know why I helped you with the mission? Why I endangered my family? It was the boy. I wanted to bring him back. That´s why-” He threw Pepper a glance, who looked at him with a mixture of understanding and pity. Slowly he got up and stared at his former friend. “And now he died again. I was the one to bring him in this fight and he died again, because he wanted to help me. You don´t have kids, Rogers, so don´t tell me you know what it´s like.”</p><p>There was silence after that statement. Steve stared at him with almost the same look Pepper had given him before, then bowed his head. Until someone stepped out of the crowd.<br/>
“Shuri, no”, T´Challa says, but she doesn´t listen to him.<br/>
Tony looked like he wanted to protest when she walked to Peter, but did nothing but watch her closely as she kneeled down in front of him and made a gesture of great respect.<br/>
“I don´t know you, Peter”, Shuri said silently. “And now sadly I never will. But I admire you for your bravery and selflessness. You are a hero.” She laid a hand on his chest. “Death isn´t the end, it´s the way on.” She bowed her head respectively, then was about to stand up.</p><p>But stopped.</p><p>She frowned and laid a second hand at his neck where the artery was.</p><p>A few seconds nothing happened, then her eyes grew wide and she turned around, her hands still on his body. “He´s alive”, she whispered in shock.<br/>
Due to the death silence nearly everyone heard her and muttering erupted between them.<br/>
“What?”, someone asked and Shuri pressed a few buttons on her uniform.<br/>
“I can feel his pulse”, she said. “It´weak, but…”, she started a hologram and examined him with it. “His brain is still active.” She turned around with a look of sheer determination. “Quick, Strange! You open a portal to my lab in Wakanda! Brother, you carry his body, I start prepare everything!”<br/>
She jumped up and after a moment of shock Doctor Strange opened a portal and she jumped through. T´Challa quickly woke out of his shock, ran towards Peter and picked him up, carrying him cautiously and following his sister.<br/>
Orders were shouted and chaos broke loose as everyone comprehended what was happening. Tony just stared at the portal in shock. “We´ll take care of the kid, you clean up here and deal with the public”, Doctor Strange said towards the crowd and stepped through the portal.</p><p>“Pepper, you get Morgan”, Tony said and followed him just in time before the portal was closed.</p><p>“Stark, you shouldn´t be here”, Doctor Strange said and Tony growled.<br/>
“That´s not for you to decide.”<br/>
“I guess it is in your´s and the boy´s interest, that the princess and I can concentrate while we examinine him”, he said dryly.<br/>
“And why will you examine him of all people?”<br/>
“Because I was the most renowned neurosurgeon in the world.”<br/>
Tony huffed reluctantly. “Good. Then I hope you know what you´re doing.”<br/>
Doctor Strange smiled weakly and patted his shoulder. “Don´t worry. I´ll get your boy patched up in no time.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So, first chapter is done. I absolutely have no idea how many chapters this story will end up with, mostly because I haven´t figured out how much plot I actually want to put i it yet.<br/>I still have one to two chapter pre-written though and I will update these during the next one to two weeks I guess. The other updates will probably be very irregular though, because I don´t have that much time to write at the moment.</p><p>If you find any grammar or spelling mistakes or if I accidentally use British English (we mostly learned British English in school, so I´ll probably mix it up at some point) instead of American English - for authenticity or something like that, I guess, I just wanted to try it out though - feel free to tell me in the comments and I´ll either correct it or live with the shame, but learn from it.</p><p>So yeah, that wasit  from me. Hope I´ll see you around during the next chapters.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>We get to know more about Peter´s condition and Tony swells in memories of lab-time with Peter.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey everyone!<br/>Glad you´re back for the second chapter. The first chapter got far attention than I expected, cosidering I only created my account two weeks ago.<br/>But enough of that, enjoy the new chapter!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“<span><span>I don´t know how he </span></span><span><span>survived that</span></span><span><span> by any stretch”, Shuri said.</span></span></p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>She looked exhausted, probably due to the huge amount of time she and Strange had spent with Peter</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>“<span><span>His vitals are at their minimum… </span></span><span><span>At least his internal injuries aren´t critical anymore.</span></span><span><span> His healing powers </span></span><span><span>really are a blessing</span></span><span><span>”, she explained. “</span></span><span><span>Though it will still take time. </span></span><span><span>H</span></span><span><span>is muscles are tonic, </span></span><span><span>but </span></span><span><span>wax-like</span></span> <span><span>and h</span></span><span><span>is neurons are still active. I don´t know if he can hear us.</span></span><span><span> I´ve never see</span></span><span><span>n</span></span><span><span> something like this… the only explanation </span></span><span><span>we</span></span><span><span> have come up with is, that he´s in some kind of stiffness caused by fear, also known as </span></span><span><span>akinesia</span></span><span><span>. Spiders sometimes do this when they´re threatened, so maybe he has adapted it somehow.”</span></span></p>
<p>Tony took a deep breath and brushed over his face with his hand.</p>
<p>“<span><span>When will he wake up?”</span></span></p>
<p>A sigh sounded from behind him and Tony turned around to see Strange standing there, looking just as exhausted as Shuri.</p>
<p>“<span><span>We don´t know”, he said. “Normally this kind of stiffness only lasts a few hours at the most, </span></span><span><span>not two days. Besides, we don´t know if we´re right with our assumption. It may be a little far fetched after all.”</span></span></p>
<p>“May I see him?”, Tony asked with a shaky voice, his expression almost unreadable.</p>
<p>Strange and Shuri shared a look.</p>
<p>“<span><span>He is still severely injured</span></span><span><span>”, </span></span><span><span>Strange reminded him. “And he isn´t even responsive.”</span></span></p>
<p>Tony didn´t even blink.</p>
<p>“But yes, you can visit him”, Shuri added and got an accusing glance from Strange.</p>
<p>But before the latter could say something Tony was out of the room.</p>
<p>“Don´t look at me like that”, Shuri said without sparing a glance at Strange. “His aunt visited him too. And maybe he finally leaves us alone now.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey, kid.”</p>
<p>Tony closed the door silently behind his back and walked over to Peter´s bed cautiously, his gaze always locked on the lifeless body, that was connected to various medical devices and a drip.</p>
<p>When he saw the marks and bruises and injuries the boy´s face alone showed all he could think about was how it had been him, who had dragged the kid into this fight. If it hadn´t been for him he would have just saved some random civilians in his city and that would be it. He never would have come on that space ship, he never would have been dusted and he never would have had to sacrifice himself.</p>
<p>“<em><span>´s not your fault”</span></em><span><span>, the kid´s voice haunted his thoughts and he couldn´t help but smile slightly.</span></span></p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>Even only an inch away from death he was such a pure, good soul… Tony couldn´t understand by any means why the boy looked up to him. If anything it should be the other way around. Because even if he was just a kid he was more worthy of being called a hero than </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>many others, </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>including himself.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>He took a deep breath and examined the kid, his glance fixed on his right arm, which was almost burned to a crisp.</p>
<p>It should have been him.</p>
<p>“You did it”, he muttered. “You defeated Thanos, saved the entire universe… It´s a stupid thing to say, but if you die I´d still think the price was too high.”</p>
<p>He sighed and brushed over his face with his hand, closing his eyes as he felt them tearing up.</p>
<p>“<span><span>If it wouldn´t have been for you, I </span></span><span><span>never would´ve tried to figure out time travel… And we never could´ve saved everyone. Almost everyone… I´m so sorry, kid. I never should have put all this responsibility on your shoulders. You should chatter with your friend about LEGOs or Star Wars and be the smart ass you are, but instead you saved our butts, because we weren´t able to.”</span></span></p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>Tony cautiously sat down at the bedside and sniff</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>l</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>ed discretely. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>Then he took Peter´s hand and patted it awkwardly.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>“<span><span>I don´t know what I´d do if you died again. </span></span><span><span>P</span></span><span><span>lease promise me you´ll never do something that stupid again.”</span></span></p>
<p>There were a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, until Tony made a frustrated noise.</p>
<p>“Damn it, kid! Say something! Please! Please wake up…”</p>
<p>But Peter didn´t move at all.</p>
<p>It just didn´t feel right. Peter was always babbling and gushing and chattering about something. He just wasn´t still. And he wasn´t supposed to or he just wouldn´t be Peter.</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>E</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>ven if they worked on important stuff in his lab the kid just </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>couldn´t keep still.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>
    <span>Tony smiled in remembrance. Lab-time with Peter had always been his favorite time </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>of the day</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>.</span>
  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em><span>-</span><span>and I just wanted to thank you again, it´s so cool to work with you in your lab and-”</span></em></p>
<p>“<em>Watch out kid or you´ll overload the reactor”, Tony warned him with neutral voice and Peter hissed.</em></p>
<p>“<em>Oh crap! I´m so sorry, Mister Stark! I didn´t want to- I mean, I was just distracted. It´ll never happen again.”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Tony took a deep breath.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em>Just watch what you´re doing.”</em></p>
<p>“<em>Yeah. Of course, Mister Stark.”</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em>So what are we doing today?”, Peter asked eagerly while Tony flipped through a few plans.</em></p>
<p>“<em>We work on your web-shooters, kid”, he answered and Peter´s eyes bulged.</em></p>
<p>“<em>What? Like, for real?”</em></p>
<p>“<em><span>Yeah, you explain to me how you made your web-fluid for example. Prett</span><span>y</span><span> impressive stuff, but maybe we can improve it.”</span></em></p>
<p>“<em><span>Oh, Mister Stark, that is so cool! Now I don´t have to do it in </span><span>chemistry class. One time my teacher caught me and I had detention for like a week, because I didn´t tell him what I was doing.”</span></em></p>
<p>
  <em>Tony frowned.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em>You did that stuff in class?”, he asked and Peter grinned sheepishly.</em></p>
<p>“<em>Yeah, not my best idea. But I couldn´t do it at home. One because of aunt May and two because I don´t have a chemistry lab in my room.”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Tony´s glance didn´t falter, but his voice got more serious.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em>Kid, you are aware you did revolutionary science there, are you?”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Peter spluttered.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em>W-Well… I mean, yeah, I know they conduct on that, but they don´t… Well, it wasn´t that hard to be honest. And I just thought someone already invented it and I just didn´t know.”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Tony gave a short laugh and shook his head in amusement.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em>You´re hilarious, kid. You ought to give yourself more credit.”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Peter blushed at that, but his eyes sparkled like the ones of a toddler receiving Christmas presents for the first time.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em>You okay, Kid?”, Tony asked while he worked on a new suit.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Peter had been dangerously quite for the past minute, normally he would chatter without even pausing </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>for </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>breath.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>“<em><span>Yeah, I´m alright”, he answered, though he didn´t sound convincing.</span></em></p>
<p>
  <em>Tony frowned and closed the hologram. With that action his music was also turned off and he could hear Peter sigh in relief.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em>Is it the music?”, he asked and made himself ready for throwing the kid out of his lab in case he didn´t like AC/DC.</em></p>
<p>“<em>No, it´s great. I really like it”, Peter protested, which made Tony nod proudly. “It´s just that… Could you turn it down a little? I had a really rough day at school, ´cause everyone was screaming in PE today and my ears are still kinda ringing and it´s hard to concentrate.”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>He looked sheepish and Tony frowned.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em>Sure, kid. No need to be embarrassed about that.”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>He turned the music back on, this time quieter.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em>How does that work, by the way?”, Peter glanced at him confused, “With your senses. When we met you told me your senses were dialed up to eleven. How does that feel?”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Peter averted his gaze uncomfortably and kept working on his own hologram.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em><span>I dunno how to describe it”, he mumbled. Sometimes I have like this… sensory overload? It´s just, that everything is </span></em><em><b>so much</b></em><em><span> and I have problems to concentrate on the important things. So when I don´t concentrate it´s like everything get´s in at once. And it´s like- I hear Ned ta</span></em><em><span>l</span></em><em><span>king next to me and telling me something, at the same time Coach Wilson yells something at my classmates and MJ and Betty talk at the other side of the hall and I can hear everything they say. But </span></em><em><span>simultaneously</span></em><em><span>. And I also see how Ned´s eye flicks and that drop of sweat on his forehead and the fly sitting on the bench about four meters away from us </span></em><em><span>and every dust particle in the air</span></em><em><span>. </span></em><em><span>And everything just smells like sweat, it´s really disgusting.</span></em><em><span>”</span></em></p>
<p>
  <em>Peter took a deep breath, in the meanwhile Tony had completely abandoned his work place and moved over to him.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em><span>After I got bitten”, Peter continued, “I got really sick and it was like being in this state for the entire time. I laid in my bed the </span></em><em><span>whole </span></em><em><span>day, with my blanket over my head and tried to shut out every </span></em><em><span>external </span></em><em><span>stimuli. Obviously it didn´t work, but I was really overtaxed at that time, because I didn´t know how to cope with it. Then I read some papers on panic attacks and how to cope with it and it really helped me.”, he cracked a </span></em><em><span>faint </span></em><em><span>smile in Tony´s direction, then turned his gaze back towards his work. “Most of the time I shut everything out and concentrate on one thing, but the more input there is the harder it gets.”</span></em></p>
<p>
  <em>There was a heavy silence for a few seconds, then Tony put his hand on the kid´s shoulder.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em><span>You got mad skills, Kid”, he said </span></em><em><span>deadpanned and Peter chuckled slightly.</span></em></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em>So what was the reason you guys fought in the first place?”, Peter asked while chewing on a slice of pizza. “I mean I get it, you didn´t agree on the Socovia Accords, but why didn´t you just talk?”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Tony huffed, visibly uncomfortable with this topic.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em>We didn´t agree, things got heated, we fought”, he said with an uncharacteristically hollow voice. “End of story.”</em></p>
<p>“<em>Oh come on, Mister Stark, there has to be a reason!”, Peter argued. “Like, what happened after I went home? I just know you followed them to catch them and they escaped, but wha-”</em></p>
<p>“<em>We don´t talk about this, Kid”, Tony interrupted him and Peter pressed his lips in an attempt to keep himself from talking.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>So he too </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>had noticed the immediate change of atmosphere.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>“<em>Yeah, I get that, but like- Were you alone against both Captain America and the Winter Soldier? And what even happened to him after that? Is he still brainwashed?”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Tony threw his slice of pizza back into the carton and it almost fell on the holo-screen next to it.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em><span>Listen, Kid”, he said in his most serious voice and Peter immediately sat a bit straighter. “</span></em><em><span>I don´t know what happened to Barnes after our fight. But I won´t talk about it, it wasn´t pretty.”</span></em></p>
<p>
  <em>Peter looked like he was about to burst, but nodded firmly and Tony relaxed a bit. There was no need to burden the kid with the knowledge of what happened in Siberia.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em><span>Okay, now I just need to to </span></em><em><span>adjust the</span></em><em><span>-”</span></em></p>
<p>“<em>Hey, Tony! Uh-”, a voice interrupted Peter and both him and Tony looked up in confusion.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>They had both been completely invested in their work, so none of them had even noticed the door opening.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>James Rhodes stood there, visibly confused by the situation in front of him and Tony, who had stood bend over Peter from behind, straightened up and smiled.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em>Rhodey, old platypus! What´s the matter?”</em></p>
<p>“<em>I-uh-I just wanted to- I´m sorry, who is that boy?”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He pointed towards Peter as if it wasn´t obvious he spoke about him. </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>Peter just stared at him in complete awe.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>“<em><span>Oh, him”, Tony said in a tone like he </span></em><em><span>only </span></em><em><span>just noticed a random the teenager standing in his private lab. “He´s my intern. Too smart for his own good, so I teach him to be more humble.”</span></em></p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Both Rhodey and Peter snorted at that and Tony </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>raised an eyebrow at the boy</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>, which shut him up immediately.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>“<em>Okay, since when do you have an intern?”</em></p>
<p>“<em>Since now?”</em></p>
<p>“<em><span>Okay, but why does he work in your private lab? You hate to have people in here. Heck, even I wasn´t allowed to come in here </span></em><em><span>during the first months</span></em><em><span>!”</span></em></p>
<p>“<em>Yeah and I can remove that privilege any time. Bye, Rhodey.”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Rhodey frowned and examined Peter, who just stared at him like a deer in the headlights.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em>Fine, I´ll wait in the living room. But don´t you dare let me wait!”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>And then the door was shut, hasty steps slowly fading away.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>There was silence for a few seconds, until Peter couldn´t oppress it any longer.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em>So no one is actually allowed in here?”, he asked warily and Tony huffed.</em></p>
<p>“<em><span>Don´t let it go to your head.”</span></em></p>
<p>
  <em>But Peter was already beaming like he had accomplished everything he ever wanted in his life.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em><span>Oh Mister Stark, this is so cool!”, Peter gushed </span></em><em><span>as he hold the broken Iron Man gauntlet in his hands like it was the Holy Grail.</span></em></p>
<p>“<em>Yeah, I know. Here”, he threw a bundle of tools at the kid and Peter caught it with ease. “The repulsor is broken. Try to fix it and then FRIDAY can synthesize a new armor and we put it together.”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Peter beamed.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em><span>I actually get to work on your suit!”, he </span></em><em><span>exclaimed </span></em><em><span>excitedly – </span></em><em><span>it even sounded near a girly scream and Peter probably would have been embarrassed for all eternity if he had actually notices it himself - </span></em><em><span>and the only thing missing to complete the picture would probably be if he jumped up and down like a child.</span></em></p>
<p>“<em><span>Yeah yeah yeah, calm down, Kid”, Tony said, his lips twitching with a small smile.</span></em></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em><span>Hey Mister Stark, what´s your favorite movie?”, Peter asked and grabbed for the chips.</span></em></p>
<p>“<em><span>I don´t know, what´s yours?”, Tony retorted and Peter looked at him like he was completely stupid.</span></em></p>
<p>“<em>What da ´ya think?”, he asked and pointed at the TV in front of them, where Han Solo just shot Stormtroopers.</em></p>
<p>“<em>Right, Star Wars. Should´ve figured that.</em></p>
<p>“<em><span>S</span></em><em><span>hould´ve”, Peter agreed and reached over for a slice of pizza.</span></em></p>
<p>“<em>Hey, hands off, Underoos!”, Tony protested and shoved the carton away, so Peter couldn´t reach. “That´s mine.”</em></p>
<p>“<em>But you also ate a slice of mine!”, Peter whined.</em></p>
<p>“<em>Yeah, but you had three pizzas. You were able to spare a slice, I´m not.”</em></p>
<p>“<em><span>I wasn´t either!”, Peter </span></em><em><span>argued. “Super-metabolism, remember? What´s one pizza for you is three pizzas for me.”</span></em></p>
<p>
  <em>Tony sighed.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em>Okay, fine. You have one. But no more!”, he held the carton for Peter to reach, who grinned.</em></p>
<p>“<em>Thanks, Mister Stark.”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Tony only hummed.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em>So, what did you geniuses do this afternoon?”, Pepper asked.</em></p>
<p>“<em><span>Mh, we worked on his suit”, Tony said </span></em><em><span>and lunged for another burger.</span></em></p>
<p>
  <em>Peter grinned, slightly embarrassed, when Pepper eyed him with a warm smile.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em>Added any more functions?”, she asked Peter interested.</em></p>
<p>“<em>Uh… no, actually not. B-But we worked on my web-fluid and we updated Karen, so she can connect with FRIDAY if necessary.”</em></p>
<p>“<em><span>That web-fluid is brilliant by the way”, Tony added. “</span></em><em><span>I don´t know if I could´ve made it myself.”</span></em></p>
<p>“<em><span>Wow, I´ve never seen anyone get a compliment like that from him”, Pepper said amused and Peter blushed. “You should definitely let it get to your head. </span></em><em><span>You want another burger?”</span></em></p>
<p>
  <em>Peter stared undecided at the plate with burgers Pepper pointed at,, then shook his head slowly.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em>N-No, thanks. I already had two, I really shouldn´t-”</em></p>
<p>“<em>Come on, Peter. You could eat the whole lot on your own if you wanted. Don´t be modest now”, Tony cut him off.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Peter blushed with embarrassment at Pepper´s mildly accusing glance.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em><span>You can eat as much as you want, dear”, she said almost sternly. “Tony already told me you have </span></em><em><span>s</span></em><em><span>uper-met</span></em><em><span>a</span></em><em><span>bolism, there´s no reason to be embarrassed.”</span></em></p>
<p>
  <em>Peter blushed even more and Tony snickered silently.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em><span>Hey Kid, I´m back. Damn, these stupid meetings are so boring I- Oh, hey Rhodey.”</span></em></p>
<p>“<em>Hey, Tony. Your ´Kid´ helps me with my suit, something important broke when I was hit with a bomb. He could give you a run for your money, you know?”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Tony stared at the scene before him for a few seconds. It just seemed so surreal. Peter stood beside the War Machine suit, tools still in his hand and Rhodey next to him with a huge grin on his face.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em><span>I´m sorry, what?”, he asked and Rhodey´s grin widened while Peter blushed.</span></em></p>
<p>“<em><span>I said he could give you a run for your money. He knew immediately it´s the… uh- </span></em><em><span>mi-micro inj</span></em><em><span>ec</span></em><em><span>-”</span></em></p>
<p>“<em>Micro-inductor”, Peter corrected him and Rhodey snapped his fingers.</em></p>
<p>“<em>Yeah, right. That thing.”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Tony raised his eyebrows.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em>So, kid, you just worked on the War Machine suit while I wasn´t here?”, he asked in a very serious tone and Peter gulped.</em></p>
<p>“<em>No, I-I m-mean… yeah, I- But I just wanted-”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Tony laughed whole-heartedly and Peter closed his babbling mouth in confusion.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em><span>I taught you well, young Padawan”, Tony said a</span></em><em><span>nd looked </span></em><em><span>actually</span></em><em><span> proud.</span></em></p>
<p>
  <em>Peter perked up at that and even Rhodey frowned.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em><span>A Star Wars- reference?”, the boy asked beaming </span></em><em><span>and looked like he wanted noting but fling his arms around Tony. “</span></em><em><span>I knew you liked the movies after all!”</span></em></p>
<p>
  <em>Tony huffed.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em>Yeah, don´t let it go to your head.”</em></p>
<p>“<em><span>Too late!”, Peter sang and when Tony </span></em><em><span>gave him a look he quickly turned back to his work on the suit.</span></em></p>
<p>“<em><span>What?”, Tony asked when Rhodey gave him an amused-</span></em><em><span>confused look.</span></em></p>
<p>
  <em>Rhodey chuckled.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em>Nothing.”</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<em><span>Oh, come on!”, Peter whined. “I can do it anyway, there´s no point in-”</span></em></p>
<p>“<em>No”, Tony said resolutely and pointed at the door. “You finish your homework first, then you can work in the lab.”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Peter huffed in annoyance.</em>
</p>
<p>“<em>Okay, fine!”, he gave up and threw his hands in the air.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Then he stamped out of the room, throwing the door shut behind his back. </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>Tony sighed.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>“<em><span>Great, now he hates me.”</span></em></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“<span>Tony?”</span></p>
<p>He startled out of his memories and looked up to see Pepper standing in the doorway.</p>
<p>“Hey, Pep.”</p>
<p>
  <span>He even could his own voice hear sounding hollow. </span>
  <span>Pepper sighed and walked over to him, </span>
  <span>wrapping her arms around his upper body and placing a soft kiss on his head.</span>
</p>
<p>“How is he?”, she asked while caressing his shoulder.</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony removed his gaze from the body lying on the bed </span>
  <span>and stared at the floor.</span>
</p>
<p>“<span>The princess, </span><span>Bruce</span><span> and Strange think he is in some kind of akinesia… stiffness caused by fear. </span><span>They don´t know when he will wake up. His internal injuries are healing, but only slowly…</span><span>if at all.</span><span>”</span></p>
<p>“It´s not your fault, Tony. He even said so himself.”</p>
<p>Tony huffed.</p>
<p>“<span>The kid would blame himself for everything, even if he isn´t at fault. </span><span>He would never blame others, </span><span>even if he should.</span><span>”</span></p>
<p>Pepper chuckled slightly.</p>
<p>“I know. But this time he may be right”, she whispered. “It was his choice. You couldn´t have stopped him.”</p>
<p>“But I should´ve.”</p>
<p>Pepper sighed again.</p>
<p>“<span>It was his choice, Tony. He knew the risks, but he chose to save everyone. That´s just who he is. And I know you will always be worried for him, but you </span><span>need to accept, that you can´t save everyone. Especially if they don’t want to be saved”, </span><span>she cracked a small smile, “But you can support him nonetheless. He looks up to you and you have the responsibility to provide him with the guidance he needs to do what he does.”</span></p>
<p>Tony brushed with his hand over his face when tears started forming in his eyes, but only Pepper´s soothing pats kept them from falling.</p>
<p>“He is an exceptionally boy”, she said thoughtfully and Tony leaned his head against her chest with a sigh.</p>
<p>“I know. And now the whole universe knows as well.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A little note at the end, I told you in the notes of the first chapter I´m not etirely sure where to go with this story plot-wise, so I wanted to ask you lot what you think of certain decision and else. I thought it was a nice idea to let you participate in this story a bit, but don´t feel obligated to do it. It´s just an added "feature" as you might call it, for those who are interested and I don´t know how often I will use it.<br/>But I wanted to ask you concerning Cap´s time-travel. I´ll probably make him return the stones to their original time as well, but I´m still indecisive about if I should let him stay there like in canon or not. I must say I was a bit disappointed with the way they handeled that in the movie, because it brings up so many questions, but I know many people think it was a great ending for him and so I wanted to ask you: Should I let Cap stay in the past or get him back to the original time?<br/>Feel free to suggest something in the comments, there probably are about two to three chapters before this question become relevant, so there is some time to give your opinion.<br/>However, have a nice Sunday and read you in the next chapter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tony ist on a guilt-trip and Steve tries to talk to him. Also May makes an appearance and Morgan ist just precious.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey there!<br/>I´m back after about two weeks I think. I´ll have to add, that I won´t be able to update this frequent after today, because that´s almost everything I´ve written beforehand.<br/>I started my studies this semester and I won´t have time to write as often as I´d like. This only for your information in advance, so don´t worry if the updates hang fire a bit. If I should really decide to stop this fanfiction at some point I´ll let you know.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“<span><span>´s come to our attention, that the </span></span><span><span>one</span></span><span><span> who saved the world from the alien named Thanos is none other than Queen´s very own superhero Spider-Man. Thanos is also the one responsible for the ´Blip´ five years ago when the Avengers failed to stop him and he killed half the universe. In a worldwide live interview a few hours ago Colonel James Rhodes, also known as War Machine, </span></span><span><span>and King T´Challa of Wakanda then gave more detailed information on how the Avengers stopped Thanos once and for all only a few days ago. This includes the information about how our savior </span></span><span><span>Spider-Man does after he defeated the threat. Apparently he is gravely injured and recovers currently in Wakanda, but we have no </span></span><span><span>further</span></span><span><span> informa-”</span></span></p><p>
  <span>
    <span>T</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>he TV was turned off. Tony didn´t even need to turn around to know who it was.</span>
  </span>
</p><p>“<span><span>That´s a horrible habit, Rogers”, he said grumpily, still facing the </span></span><span><span>now black screen.</span></span></p><p>
  <span>
    <span>He heard a</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> sigh.</span>
  </span>
</p><p>“Tony, don´t do that to yourself.”</p><p>“<span><span>Don´t tell me what to do</span></span><span><span>.”</span></span></p><p>“<span><span>No, I mean it. It isn´t your fault.”</span></span></p><p>Tony could hear Steve coming nearer, but refused to acknowledge his presence in any other way than talking.</p><p>“Funny. The more people tell me this the more I have the feeling they´re wrong”, he said bitter. “I was the one to bring him into the fight, so I´m the one responsible for what happens to him.”</p><p>“Tony…”</p><p>“Don´t ´Tony´ me! You agree with me, don´t you? If I´d told you in Germany how old Spider-Man was and you realized you fought against a kid you would´ve made me responsible, wouldn´t you?”</p><p>Steve kept silent.</p><p>“I´m sick of everyone telling me it wasn´t my fault when everyone knows it´s not true!”</p><p>“<span><span>Everyone?”, Steve asked with cutting voice. “I´m pretty sure there is at least one person here who thinks you´re not to blame. </span></span><span><span>The boy</span></span><span><span> said </span></span><span><span>so.</span></span><span><span> He doesn´t think </span></span><span><span>you´re at </span></span><span><span>fault. They could´ve been his last words, he clearly wanted you not to blame yourself in case he died. And you should honor his wish. Don´t let it eat you up.”</span></span></p><p>“<span><span>He´s a good kid. He would never blame anyone other than himself. Probably even feels responsible, that Thanos attacked us in the first place. It really gets silly at some point.”</span></span></p><p>
  <span>
    <span>S</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>teve cracked a smile.</span>
  </span>
</p><p>“You know, that sounds an awful lot like you.”</p><p>This time it was Tony who kept silent.</p><p>“I didn´t get to know him, but you are clearly very close. I saw him at the battle, he went straight for you as soon as he spotted you.”</p><p>Tony managed a small smile.</p><p>“And no matter what everyone else thinks. The most important thing is, that Peter doesn´t blame you at all. You need to accept, that – yes, you brought him in this fight and risked his life, but imagine what would´ve happened if you didn´t. Maybe you never would´ve tried to figure out time travel if you weren´t that close to the boy and maybe Thanos would´ve wiped out half the universe again if Peter hadn´t snapped. You don´t know what would´ve happened otherwise, but I can tell the outcome probably would´ve been worse.”</p><p>There was a heavy silence for a few seconds.</p><p>“I would´ve died”, Tony whispered. “Strange saw our only chance in me snapping with the stones and dying. That´s why he gave Thanos the time stone, to save my life, so I could defeat him. And I was about to get the stones from Thanos, when the kid tried to help me and the stones landed on the ground. He found them first and saw me being beaten up by Thanos. That´s why he used the stones. If it weren´t for me he wouldn´t have done it.”</p><p>“<span><span>Now that´s some bullshit”, a feminine voice said and Tony and Steve perked up in surprise to see May standing in the doorway with crossed arms. </span></span><span><span>She looked fearsome though her eyes were puffed red, a clear sign that she definitely had cried.</span></span></p><p>“May-”, Tony tried to say, but she shut him up with a simple gesture.</p><p>“<span><span>No, you listen here. I am scared for Peter. </span></span><span><span>E</span></span><span><span>veryday. Every time he goes out there and risks his life saving people. And yes, at first I blamed you for this, because you took him to Germany and he got al</span></span><span><span>l</span></span><span><span> excited about being an </span></span><span><span>A</span></span><span><span>venger”, Tony looked incredibly guilty at that, “But I´m also so, so proud of him. He truly is a hero and he </span></span><span><span>does</span></span><span><span> good and though he is exhausted all the time I´ve never seen him so happy since </span></span><span><span>Ben</span></span><span><span> died. You helped him become the person he always wanted to be. You´re his hero and he looks up to you. But he would´ve saved anyone in that situation. He even risks his life for criminals and those who tried to kill him, because he can´t let anyone die while he can prevent it. So don´t tell me it´s your fault. It was Peter´s choice and I´m sure he would do it again and again. </span></span><span><span>Even if I don´t like it… It´s just him.”</span></span></p><p>
  <span>
    <span>Tony swallowed hard and looked to the ground. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>After a moment of silence he got up.</span>
  </span>
</p><p>“I´ll look for Morgan, I haven´t seen her today.”</p><p>When Tony left the room May was scandalized, but before she could give him a piece of her mind Steve hold her back.</p><p>“Let him”, he said. “Tony isn´t good at showing emotions and it already takes a lot out of him to see the boy like this. He just got him back after he was dead for five years and now he is severely injured… It got to us all what he did, but I can´t imagine how Tony must feel.”</p><p>May had a strangely sympathetic, but also sad expression.</p><p>“<span><span>I´m almost glad I was dusted as well… </span></span><span><span>Peter may not be my biological child, but-”, she couldn´t finish the sentence, but Steve nodded in understanding.</span></span></p><p>“I understand. I don´t even know him, but he seems like a great kid. And I´m sorry. Neither he nor you deserve this pain.”</p><p>May nodded shortly, tears forming in her eyes.</p><p>Thank you.”</p><p> </p><p>“<span><span>Dad? Why are you so sad?”, Morgan asked and Tony smiled slightly, stroking his daughter´s hair mindlessly.</span></span></p><p>“It´s because of Peter”, he explained. “He is hurt, because he saved me.”</p><p>“What did he do?”, she asked and climbed on Tony´s lap.</p><p>
  <span>
    <span>H</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>e sighed and wrapped her in his arms.</span>
  </span>
</p><p>“<span><span>Do you remember when I </span></span><span><span>worked on</span></span><span><span> that important shit?”, Morgan giggled, “I invented time travel then”, he said and Morgan stared at him curiously. “And we rescued all the people, who died five years ago, </span></span><span><span>including Peter</span></span><span><span>. </span></span><span><span>And then together we fought against a big purple alien, who wanted to get magic stones </span></span><span><span>to destroy the universe</span></span><span><span>.”</span></span></p><p>
  <span>
    <span>M</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>organ gasped.</span>
  </span>
</p><p>“Did you kick his ass?”</p><p>Tony choked a laugh.</p><p>“<span><span>Where did you learn such words? You´re not supposed to </span></span><span><span>know</span></span><span><span> them.”</span></span></p><p>“<span><span>M</span></span><span><span>ommy said that when </span></span><span><span>she went to </span></span><span><span>the</span></span><span><span> fight with you. </span></span><span><span>Happy</span></span><span><span> covered my ears, but I still heard it.</span></span><span><span>”</span></span></p><p>He chuckled and caressed Morgan´s cheek.</p><p>“<span><span>You´re not supposed to say </span></span><span><span>m</span></span><span><span>ommy´s words”, Tony scolded her </span></span><span><span>amused. “That´s why they´re called ´</span></span><span><span>m</span></span><span><span>ommy words´. Only she can use them.”</span></span></p><p>“Can we call them ´Morgan words´? Then I can say them too.”</p><p>“<span><span>No. If your </span></span><span><span>mo</span></span><span><span>m ever finds out you know those words we are both in trouble. You can´t tell anyone.”</span></span></p><p>Morgan thought about it very hard.</p><p>“Can I have a chocolate cookie?”, she asked cheekily and Tony frowned.</p><p>“Are you trying to blackmail me again?”, he asked in a playful and half-amused tone.</p><p>Morgan tilted her head.</p><p>“Does it work?”</p><p>Tony sighed.</p><p>“Yes, let´s go.”</p><p>
  <span>
    <span>He</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> jumped up and Morgan screamed happily when she nearly landed on the floor, but was grabbed by her father in the last moment.</span>
  </span>
</p><p>“<span><span>What happened to the purple alien?”, she asked excitedly as though they never went off-topic. “</span></span><span><span>Did he hurt Peter?”</span></span></p><p>
  <span>
    <span>T</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>ony grimaced.</span>
  </span>
</p><p>“<span><span>Peter got hurt when he defeated him.”</span></span></p><p>Morgan nodded thoughtfully.</p><p>“<span><span>Can I see him? He is here, isn´t he? </span></span><span><span>I want to meet him!”</span></span></p><p>“Morgan…”, Tony said with choked voice. “You probably shouldn´t meet him. I don´t want you to see him like this.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>Tony hesitated.</p><p>“<span><span>Because he… I would have loved</span></span><span><span> you two to meet, but he is </span></span><span><span>pretty</span></span><span><span> badly battered </span></span><span><span>now</span></span><span><span>. You will see him when he </span></span><span><span>gets</span></span><span><span> better again.”</span></span></p><p>
  <span>
    <span>M</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>organ pouted.</span>
  </span>
</p><p>“<span><span>When will he get better then?”</span></span></p><p>“We don´t know”, Tony said after a short pause.</p><p>“<span><span>Can´t we help him get better?”</span></span></p><p>Tony sighed.</p><p>“<span><span>We are trying, Maguna. But it will take time. </span></span><span><span>He is asleep and we try to wake him up.”</span></span></p><p>Morgan frowned.</p><p>“I can give him a chocolate cookie. I always wake up then.”</p><p>Tony smiled softly and placed a kiss on her head.</p><p>“Sure you do.”</p><p> </p><p>Slowly the door opened as if by magic. It squeaked silently, then a head lurked through the gap and when she was sure no one was in the room Morgan entered it.</p><p>With quick feet she toddled noiselessly through the room over to a single bed.</p><p>She couldn´t recognize anything more than a figure lying there motionlessly, but no matter how hard she tried she couldn´t get onto the bed, because it was too high.</p><p>She frowned and looked around, then grabbed a heavy chair a few meters away and pulled it towards the bed.</p><p>She breathed heavily and groaned, but she did it. Contented she looked at her work and climbed on the chair, now being able to see more of the figure, and gasped.</p><p>It was a boy, his right arm totally and completely burned, the skin on his neck and the right side of his face badly injured and marked with countless cuts and bruises. There were several bandages covering most of his upper body, but some of them were already bled through and even as he slept it looked as if the boy was in great pain.</p><p>Morgan winced and let out a shriek, but covered her mouth from doing so as she remembered not to draw attention to herself.</p><p>
  <span>
    <span>She stumbled slightly. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>With unsteady hands she grabbed for the back of the chair to support herself, </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>then cautiously glanced at the figure again as though she expected it to look any different.</span>
  </span>
</p><p>The longer she looked at him the steadier became her breathing. Carefully she climbed onto the bed, trying not to disturb the boy, and sat at his bedside.</p><p>
  <span>
    <span>At first she just looked at him, her feet dangling from the bed. Then after a few moments she fished a cookie out of her skirt´s pocket and held it towards him. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>Her fingers were covered in a brown, slimy mess, because t</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>he chocolate chunks had already started melting while in the pocket</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>.</span>
  </span>
</p><p>“Are you Peter?”, she asked, but got no reply.</p><p>“I brought you a cookie”, she tried again.</p><p>
  <span>
    <span>W</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>hen she still didn´t get an answer she lowered her hand and laid the cookie on the white sheet, successfully smearing the chocolate all over it.</span>
  </span>
</p><p>“Dad said you are hurt because you saved the universe. That´s pretty cool. And he told me you are Spider-Man. I didn´t like spiders before, but now I do.”</p><p>
  <span>
    <span>S</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>he kept talking about completely random things, not even caring that Peter </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>didn´t</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> answer her. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>Time flew by and she lost track of how long she had sat</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> at Peter´s bedside, telling him stories and explaining things to him. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>While she did so she had eaten the chocolate cookie she had originally brought for him, the only evidence left were the cookie crumbs and the flecks on the sheets.</span>
  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>
    <span>S</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>huri stopped confused, when she entered the room and spotted a small figure </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>sitting</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> at Peter´s bedside. </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>It had to be Morgan – who she didn´t met until now -, because she was the only child currently strolling through the palace.</span>
  </span>
</p><p>“Nice to meet you, Morgan”, Shuri said and closed the door silently, the girl flinched slightly and stared at her with big, brown eyes.</p><p>“Who are you?”, she asked warily and Shuri smiled.</p><p>Morgan looked just too precious with that skeptical look and the chocolate smeared all around her mouth.</p><p>“I´m Princess Shuri. I´m checking for Peter.”</p><p>Morgan eyes her closely while Shuri checked Peter´s vitals and examined his wounds.</p><p>“<span><span>You have to get up, Morgan”, </span></span><span><span>she</span></span><span><span> said. “I need to change his bandages.”</span></span></p><p>Morgan frowned.</p><p>“Can I help you?”</p><p>Shuri looked at her for a moment, indecisive, then a small smile crept on her lips.</p><p>“<span><span>You can get the bandages. They´re in the drawer o</span></span><span><span>ver</span></span><span><span> there. Just put your hand on it and then you can take it out.”</span></span></p><p>Morgan jumped up and did as she was told. When she put her hand on the drawer the material faded and she could just grab whatever she needed.</p><p>“<span><span>Cool”, Morgan </span></span><span><span>uttered and scrutinized the drawer closely, curiosity written all over her face.</span></span></p><p>Shuri chuckled silently when Morgan came back with a look of astonishment.</p><p>“How does this work?”, she asked and Shuri´s smile widened.</p><p>“Already taking an interest in these things, I see… I can explain it to you after I cared for Peter if you´d like.”</p><p>Morgan nodded fiercely.</p><p>“Okay, then hand me these bandages and wait outside the room.”</p><p>Morgan looked like she wanted to protest, but decided against it and left room without complaining.</p><p>Shuri quickly got down to work and was finished after a few minutes. Unfortunately the wounds hadn´t scabbed over yet. Even if Peter weren´t enhanced it would be awfully slow and that actually worried Shuri. Something was weakening his healing powers so strongly he wouldn´t even start to heal at a normal rate.</p><p>And that was alarming. Especially because of his internal injuries.</p><p>She needed to consult Strange and Banner.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>May has to make an important decision and the Avengers talk about who will bring the stones back in time - Bucky is not amused when he finds about, that Steve volunteered.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There was a deafening silence lying on all of them. Shuri and Doctor Strange stood there, with serious expressions and everyone else stared at them in disbelieve. Bruce sat on one of the couches, his arm still in the sling and badly burned. He shared a look with Shuri and Doctor Strange.</p><p>”But I thought you said it wasn´t necessary”, May said near to tears and Shuri sighed.</p><p>“<span><span>We </span></span><span><b>hoped</b></span><span><span> it wasn´t necessary”, Shuri corrected her.</span></span><span><span> “</span></span><span><span>We thought his arm would heal, but the power of the stones is still radiating from his hand and it keeps his body from healing, because it´s too focused on fighting the stones. I´m sorry, but the safest way to </span></span><span><span>enhance his chances to get better is to amputate his arm.</span></span><span><span>”</span></span></p><p>“<span><span>We don´t like it as well”, </span></span><span><span>Bruce </span></span><span><span>added</span></span><span><span>. “But even if it weren´t for the radiation his nerves probably would have suffered </span></span><span><span>very severe</span></span><span><span> damage. </span></span><span><span>I don´t think my arm will heal completely either.</span></span><span><span>”</span></span></p><p>May sobbed.</p><p>“There really is no other way?”</p><p>
  <span>
    <span>Doctor Strange</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> shook h</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>is</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> head in regret.</span>
  </span>
</p><p>“I´m sorry, I don´t think there is.”</p><p>The only thing left to hear were May´s silent sobs. Everyone looked at her, though most of them were sensible enough to try and hide it. It was her decision to make as Peter´s legal guardian.</p><p>But it took her awfully long to answer.</p><p>“Do it”, she whispered, her words hanging very heavy between all of them. “B-But I need to see him one last time before-”</p><p>Strange nodded and May practically ran out of the room.</p><p>“Okay, we´ll prepare everything. The faster we start the better. You, princess, I need some instruments.”</p><p>Shuri huffed and rolled her eyes.</p><p>“<span><span>It´s still my lab!”, she cleared up. “You </span></span><span><span>have no to say</span></span><span><span> in there.”</span></span></p><p>“Oh, I´m sorry. Are you the neurosurgeon here?”</p><p>“I think you forget who the expert with gamma radiation is”, Bruce threw in.</p><p>The three left the room, still bickering and leaving the others in silence.</p><p>
  <span>
    <span>After a few moments Tony jumps up and leaves the room as well with a mask-like face, not </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>uttering</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span> a single word.</span>
  </span>
</p><p>Pepper follows him with a worried frown.</p><p>The next one to move in some way was Bucky.</p><p>“I´ll go talk to them. Maybe I can be of help”, he said and moved his metal arm in an awkward way.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, that sucks”, Rocket said when it went quite again and Quill shot him a warning glance.</p><p>“<span><span>The </span></span><span><span>child</span></span><span><span> will certainly look worthy of his heroic heart with </span></span><span><span>a metal arm. His enemies will quake with fear when they see him”, </span></span><span><span>Drex said delighted.</span></span></p><p>“What´s wrong with you?”, Quill asked exasperated. “That kid will get his arm amputated. Maybe show some sympathy.”</p><p>“<span><span>Why? Sympathy clearly won´t help him, a metal arm will. You know what? I go too, I have some experience with prosthetic limbs.”</span></span></p><p>Rocket jumps up as well and follows Bucky. Quill frowned.</p><p>“You´re not stealing that arm!”, he called after him, but got no answer.</p><p> </p><p>“<span><span>Okay”, T´Challa said. “Before any more of you leave us we have </span></span><span><span>something to discuss. We can´t keep the stones here in Wakanda forever. It´s too much of a risk.”</span></span></p><p>Everyone tensed at that. They knew they would have to return the stones eventually. But no one felt ready to do so yet.</p><p>“<span><span>We need to take some precautions before though. When Shuri is free she keeps working on a way to conceal the space </span></span><span><span>and the mind </span></span><span><span>stone like the Tesseract </span></span><span><span>and the scepter</span></span><span><span> had, because we can´t return </span></span><span><span>them</span></span><span><span> like this. </span></span><span><span>A</span></span><span><span>nd the Guardians”, he pointed towards Quill, Drex and Groot, “luckily found the Orb to conceal the power stone. So </span></span><span><span>I need to know who will return the stones when we´re ready.”</span></span></p><p>Steve and Thor looked at eachother for a moment.</p><p>“If only one goes it needs to be me or Thor, because of the hammer”, Steve said and T´Challa nodded in understanding.</p><p>“Scott is currently trying to get more Pym Particles in case something goes wrong”, he said musing.</p><p>“The more people we send the higher is the chance we accidentally destroy the timeline or something like that. I suggest me to go”, Quill said.</p><p>Thor frowned.</p><p>“<span><span>Didn´t you listen what we just said?”, </span></span><span><span>he</span></span><span><span> asked. “It needs to be me or </span></span><span><span>the Captain</span></span><span><span>. No one else </span></span><span><span>is worthy to</span></span><span><span> lift my hammer.”</span></span></p><p>“<span><span>Well, I actually </span></span><span><span>w</span></span><span><span>as the one </span></span><span><span>to get the power stone”, Quill </span></span><span><span>pointed out</span></span><span><span>. “So I should put it back. I know where it is and how to get there.”</span></span></p><p>“I know where to bring the reality stone and the mind stone”, Thor argued and Quill gritted his teeth.</p><p>“Guys, this doesn´t get us anywhere”, Sam said tiredly.</p><p>“Oh, Sam Wilson, the voice of reason”, Clint said mockingly. “Who would´ve thought.”</p><p>“Shut up, Barton.”</p><p>Wanda and Nebula, who sat next to eachother, shared an exasperated look when the guys kept bickering.</p><p>“You are so small minded!”</p><p>“I can do it!”</p><p>“I am Groot!”</p><p>“You don´t have the power to! You´re not enhanced or-””</p><p>“I have the tools to bring the power stone back!”</p><p>“<span><span>So you say I have no skills? I can shoot that arrow right through your eyeball!”</span></span></p><p>“Then give them to me!”</p><p>“<span><span>They´re </span></span><span><b>my</b></span><span><span> tools, I won´t give them to </span></span><span><b>you</b></span><span><span>!”</span></span></p><p>“I´m surrounded by absolute idiots”, Nebula muttered and Wanda crooked a grin.</p><p>“You get used to it.”</p><p>“Sleep!”, Mantis yelled and touched both Quill´s and Thor´s heads.</p><p>Both were snoring immediately and now that the two bickering the most were knocked out everyone quieted down and stared at Mantis in awe.</p><p>She scrunched up her face and was visibly strained, then let both of them go.</p><p>“Do you really think one of them should go?”, Mantis asked Steve and T´Challa, who still stared at her while Quill and Thor woke out of their daze.</p><p>“We keep her around, right?”, Sam asked. “This is so useful.”</p><p>Steve gave T´Challa a determined look, his former musing expression completely gone.</p><p>“I´ll do it.”</p><p> </p><p>“The hell you do!”, Bucky said visibly irritated and Steve sighed.</p><p>“Buck-”</p><p>“No. You won´t go time-traveling again. You told me what happened last time, you got beaten up by yourself!”</p><p>Steve grimaced slightly at that.</p><p>“Buck, I need to do this.”</p><p>“You don´t need to-”</p><p>“Yes, I do.”</p><p>Something in Steve´s voice made Bucky stop and look at his best friend with raised eyebrows. Steve averted his gaze uncomfortably, which made Bucky frown.</p><p>And then it hit him.</p><p>“You want to stay there”, he said with an emotionless voice.</p><p>There was a heavy silence weighting between them for the first time since Bucky had been cured and he didn´t like it in the slightest.</p><p>“I thought about it”, Steve admitted.</p><p>“And do you still?”</p><p>The silence was answer enough. Bucky squared his shoulders and huffed.</p><p>“Thanks for telling me”, he gave him a strained smile, “Do what makes you happy.”</p><p>“Buck… I´m sorry, I just-”</p><p>Bucky held up his hand and Steve fell silent.</p><p>“Don´t, Steve. I won´t stop you. And I won´t encourage you. You need to decide this for yourself.”</p><p>Steve nodded and smiled slightly, looking somewhat relieved.</p><p>“Thanks, Bucky.”</p><p> </p><p>When Steve and Bucky came back into the common room they immediately noticed the uncomfortable atmosphere in the room and looked at their friends. Only Sam, Rhodey and Wanda were left.</p><p>“What´s the matter?”, Steve asked.</p><p>“<span><span>They´re </span></span><span><span>doing it </span></span><span><span>now”, Sam answered.</span></span></p><p>Well, that explained it. But when Steve looked around to talk to May and comfort her he noticed she wasn´t here.</p><p>“Where is his aunt?”, he asked.</p><p>“She left a few minutes ago, Peter´s friend, Ned, called again. I guess she fills him in now”, Rhodey said and Steve gulped.</p><p>Peter´s friend must feel terrible. He didn´t know what he´d do if Bucky was in this situation, but even then it was different. Steve didn´t need to go to school and pretend to not know what happened to his friend and what he did for all of them.</p><p>“What did she say about inviting him here?”, Bucky asked and Sam cracked a smile.</p><p>“<span><span>Ned will probably be ecstatic, but he can</span></span><span><span>´t come right now. His parents won´t let him leave their eyesight and school will probably start </span></span><span><span>again </span></span><span><span>soon.</span></span><span><span>”</span></span></p><p>“<span><span>I really don´t envy him”, </span></span><span><span>Wanda</span></span><span><span> said. “It must be </span></span><span><span>horrible to know what Peter did and not be able to tell </span></span><span><span>any</span></span><span><span>one.</span></span><span><span>”</span></span></p><p>Steve agreed with her.</p><p>“Do we know for how long he´s known Peter is Spider-Man?”, he asked.</p><p>“I think about seven years from what May told me”, she said. “Well, for them it hasn´t been as long…”</p><p>Everyone looked at the floor at that.</p><p>“We will all need time to get used to that”, Steve said.</p><p>Bucky frowned.</p><p>“<span><span>We will need time to sort things out at all. Does this change anything? Technically we´re still on the run. We´re lucky the government deals with other issues at the moment. But as soon as they´re free they´re back on our throats.”</span></span></p><p>Wanda snorted.</p><p>“We helped saving the universe”, she mumbled grumpily. “They should be thankful.”</p><p>Steve sighed.</p><p>“History showed they´re not.”</p><p>“Sokovia was something entirely different”, Rhodey reminded them sternly. “That wasn´t Thanos, who just showed up and wiped out half the universe. That was Ultron.”</p><p>Nobody missed the unsaid <em>Our fault</em> hanging in the air.</p><p>“You´re right”, Steve said before anyone could say something they would regret. “But we need to sort this out. Because if we don´t we can´t come back with you”, he looked at Rhodey and then gave Bucky a short smile, “And I´m tired of running.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>There are finally some changes to Peter´s condition and Tony Stark is a princess.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey there!<br/>I´m really sorry I took so long to update, but the new chapter is finally here! The new chapters probably will take about as much time as this one though, because I´m pretty busy right now and don´t have that much time to write whenever I want to.<br/>Anyway, enjoy the chapter!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>May sat at Peter´s bedside, gently combing his hair with her fingers. He was connected to even more devices now and his breath was shallow.</p><p>Her glance kept flickering towards his left side, which was covered completely. Probably for the best, because May didn´t know if she could stand the sight of his left arm – or the lack of it.</p><p>
  <span>
    <span>Luckily the operation had gone smoothly and without any complications, but that didn´t make her any less worried </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>for her nephew.</span>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>
    <span>She had always known Peter was an incredible boy, but what he had done </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>was something he never should have had to do.</span>
  </span>
</p><p>“<span><span>Get well soon, Peter”, May said softly. “</span></span><span><span>Everyone wants you to get better. You got earth´s mightiest heroes </span></span><span><span>and even some aliens</span></span> <span><span>to </span></span><span><span>be worried for you…”, she laughed silently, “Of course you did. If anyone could do that it´s you. </span></span><span><span>You´re remarkable, Peter. And there is no hero like you.”</span></span></p><p>
  <span>
    <span>She gently caressed his cheek, but hesitated slightly when she thought she felt him </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>move</span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>.</span>
  </span>
</p><p>“Peter?”, she asked with quiver in her voice.</p><p>And indeed, Peter´s facial muscles twitched. May inhaled heavily and moved closer to him.</p><p>“Peter, can you hear me? Please. Say something or give me a sign…”</p><p>To her surprise Peter´s eyes actually fluttered and it felt like her heart had stopped beating when she noticed this.</p><p>He looked delirious as he blinked sleepily and fixated his glance on a point in the air above him.</p><p>Tears shot in May´s eyes when she saw him like this.</p><p>“Peter”, she whispered and her nephew´s eyes slightly moved in her direction, his face was scrunched up in agony. “Oh my god, Peter! Can you hear me?”</p><p>Tears fell onto the sheets and Peter´s cheek as May leaned over his body and gently stroked his hair.</p><p>He twitched slightly and May quickly withdrew her hand, then she suddenly remembered what Princess Shuri had told her to do as soon as Peter would wake up.</p><p>
  <span>
    <span>As if she had been stung she </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>jumped up and activated a holo-screen next to the bed to send a message to the others.</span>
  </span>
</p><p>It didn´t even take a minute until Doctor Strange burst in, his eyes quickly fixating on Peter and May stepped aside to give him more room to work.</p><p>“Princess can´t come right now, she is finally asleep. Her brother would have my head if I had woken her”, he explained quickly and May nodded dumbly. “How did he react?”, he asked then. “Was he responsive?”</p><p>“He… he blinked”, May said slowly. “He didn´t say anything, just his face twitched and he opened his eyes.”</p><p>Doctor Strange nodded shortly and examined Peter. While he did so his frown only grew and May grew more anxious with every passing second.</p><p>“So, what is with him?”, she asked eagerly.</p><p>“<span><span>He shows indications of a comatose state, but not all symptoms are fitting. To be frank, I don´t know what´s wrong with him. We´ve been </span></span><span><span>brooding</span></span><span><span> about it for days, but none of us has ever seen something like this. We know almost nothing of the stones, so there´s a good chance we won´t find out what to do with him.”</span></span></p><p>May felt tears prickle in her eyes, but tried to swallow them.</p><p>“So, what does that mean?”, she asked with trembling voice.</p><p>“It means, if we can´t find out what´s keeping him from waking up completely he´ll have to make it on his own.”</p><p> </p><p>“Anything new on his condition?”, Pepper asked when Tony entered the room with a deadpan look on his face.</p><p>“Nothing good at least”, he said and slumped down on the couch next to his wife.</p><p>She pulled him into a hug from the side, he just sat there and leaned in slightly, resting his chin on her shoulder and closing his eyes.</p><p>“He will make it, Tony. I know he will.”</p><p>“Daddy!”, a child´s voice sounded and Tony immediately perked up, just in time to see Morgan run towards him and joining their hug.</p><p>He smiled.</p><p>“Hey, Maguna. What have you been up to?”</p><p>Morgan beamed and told him how one of the guards had shown her the whole palace and she even saw a black suit, that you could punch and then it glowed.</p><p>Tony and Pepper intently listened to her stories, but were even taken by surprise when Morgan told them she had spent time with Princess Shuri.</p><p>“Morgan, it´s great that you like Princess Shuri, but she is very busy at the moment. You shouldn´t bother her, she has already very much to do”, Pepper said in a kind, but firm way.</p><p>Morgan pouted.</p><p>“But I like her! She is like you, Daddy. She builds important shit all the time.”</p><p>Tony choked at that and Pepper shot him a stern glance.</p><p>“Morgan, what have I told you?”, he said scolding. “There are words we don´t use.”</p><p>Morgan looked like she thought about that for a moment, then it dawned on her.</p><p>“Oh, sorry Mommy I won´t use your words anymore.”</p><p>Tony closed his eyes when he felt Pepper´s glance on him.</p><p>“My words?”, she repeated confused, but also reproachfully. “I don´t remember to have claimed any words.”</p><p>Tony tried to give his daughter a sign to stop, but her eyes were fixed on Pepper.</p><p>“But Daddy said you own the words we can´t say. That´s why they´re called ´Mommy words´.”</p><p>Morgan looked incredibly proud, because she had remembered what her dad had told her, but somehow Tony didn´t look that happy when Pepper eyed him.</p><p>“Oh, right. ´Mommy words´”, Pepper said. “Now I know what you mean. But I think I´ll have to have a talk with your father later.”</p><p>That was the moment when Morgan seemed to get, that she sold out her dad to her mom and quickly shot her father a glance, who looked like he wanted to scold her for something, but didn´t know where to begin.</p><p>She pressed her lips together and stared at him with huge, innocent eyes, a cheeky little smile on her lips.</p><p>Tony sighed.</p><p>“Damn the women in my life”, he muttered and Morgan snickered at that and even Pepper chuckled slightly.</p><p>“But to get back to the actual topic”, she said, “Please don´t distract Princess Shuri from her work. You can play with her when she´s free, but not now.”</p><p>Morgan pouted.</p><p>“Okay”, she finally said, then unexpectedly added: “I wanna be a princess too.”</p><p>Her parents chuckled fondly.</p><p>“Why do you want to be a princess?”, Tony asked.</p><p>“´Cause I wanna build important shit!”</p><p>Pepper groaned silently while Tony laughed and stroked his daughter´s hair mindlessly.</p><p>“I build important shit too”, he reminded her and got another reproachful glance from Pepper for encouraging their daughter to use such foul language.</p><p>Morgan thought about that for a few moments.</p><p>“Yes, you are a princess too!”, she said and Tony almost choked again.</p><p>“Excuse me, what?”, he said.</p><p>Morgan just looked at him beaming while Pepper did her best to contain her laughter.</p><p>“Morgan… I´m not a princess”, Tony tried to explain, but Morgan was having none of it.</p><p>“But you build important shit. Princess Shuri said that´s what princesses do.”</p><p>Pepper couldn’t restrain herself from laughing anymore and Tony shot his wife an unamused look.</p><p>“But… Morgan, there´s also other stuff princesses do. Like… eh, rule the country. It´s very important. Princess Shuri and her brother are responsible for whole Wakanda and they have to look after their people.”</p><p>“Just like Mommy?”, Morgan asked and Tony was lost for words.</p><p>“You help me, dear?”, Tony asked and Pepper chuckled fondly.</p><p>“Morgan, I´m running a company. That´s different than ruling an entire country.”</p><p>“Why though?”</p><p>“<span><span>Because…”, Pepper seemed to look for the right words desperately. “Because… </span></span><span><span>Look, a whole country is much larger than a company. And there are things like politics and culture and- “, she sighed, “You know what? Yes, Mommy </span></span><span><span>i</span></span><span><span>s a princess. But then Daddy </span></span><span><span>i</span></span><span><span>s a princess too.”</span></span></p><p>
  <span>
    <span>Morgan </span>
  </span>
  <span>
    <span>beamed</span>
  </span>
</p><p>“Yes, Daddy´s a princess.”</p><p>Tony was lost for words.</p><p>“I said help me, not sell me out”, he complained, but Pepper merely chuckled fondly.</p><p>“I think you´d make a great princess”, she said and kissed his cheek.</p><p>Morgan giggled.</p><p>“<span><span>Yes”, she just said and looked up at her father, who </span></span><span><span>buried his face in his hands.</span></span></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So, I think the image of Princess Tony is hilarious.<br/>I decided spontaneously to add that to the chapter, but I can totally picture Morgan being convinced her dad is a princess too after meeting Shuri.<br/>What do you think?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>So, Peter apparently is responsive, but his powers act crazy and Docotor Strange and Shuri are a bit overtaxed with that.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony paced in front of Peter´s door, anxiety tickling in his guts. Apparently Peter was responsive now. Strange had implied so when Tony had overheard him talking to Shuri.</p><p>And now he was waiting for them to be finished with their examination, so he could finally talk to Peter after his… disintegration, this time without the stress of a battlefield around them.</p><p>He wished he could at least hear his voice, but this damned doors were soundproof and Tony couldn´t hear a thing going on inside the room.</p><p>Every passing minute made him even more nervous and he was just about to throw the damned door open, when it suddenly opened.</p><p>“Stark, good. Come in. We need your help.”</p><p>Tony frowned, a worry slowly creeping up his spine and he followed Strange into the room. But when he saw Shuri leaned over Peter, her expression<cite> scared and shaken the worry turned into fear. </cite></p><p><cite>“What´s the matter?”, he asked. “</cite> <cite> Why is he unconscious? I thought he was responsive.” </cite></p><p>
  <cite> Shuri sighed and straightened herself. </cite>
</p><p>
  <cite>“He was. And his condition improved, but apparently his powers acted up as soon as he was strong enough. You know the most about his abilities.”</cite>
</p><p>
  <cite>“How did they ´act up´?”, Tony asked and Strange´s expression darkened while Shuri snickered.</cite>
</p><p>
  <cite> Without uttering a single word Strange grabbed for his cloak on the other side of the bed. It was struggling against Peter´s grip, but as Toy looked closer he saw, that Peter didn´t hold on it, but that his hand was apparently stuck to it. </cite>
</p><p><cite>“Huh…</cite> <cite> ” </cite></p><p>
  <cite> Strange growled. </cite>
</p><p><cite>“</cite> <cite> Is that all you have to say? He… sticks… to a priceless magical artifact!” </cite></p><p>
  <cite>“I already like him”, Shuri added amused.</cite>
</p><p>
  <cite> Strange didn´t even bother to acknowledge her comments anymore, so he just kept staring at Tony. </cite>
</p><p>
  <cite>“What am I supposed to say?”, the latter asked confused.</cite>
</p><p>
  <cite>“Make him stop!”</cite>
</p><p>
  <cite> Tony chuckled at that. </cite>
</p><p>
  <cite>“I don´t think he can.”</cite>
</p><p>
  <cite>“What?”, Strange asked and Tony rolled his eyes.</cite>
</p><p><cite>“I don´t know much about his powers and neither does he. Most of what we know we found out by accident. </cite> <cite> But he once told me, that when he got his powers he used to stick to almost everythi</cite><cite>n</cite><cite>g until he could control it. So I guess we have to wait. Whatever is happening with him, as long as he isn´t completely fit his powers may act up. A whole lot of it he needs to control with his focus.” </cite></p><p>
  <cite> Shuri laughed. </cite>
</p><p>
  <cite>“So there´s no way we can get that cloak away from him?”, she asked.</cite>
</p><p>
  <cite> At that the cloak of levitation paused and seemed to turn towards them and look expectantly at them. </cite>
</p><p><cite>“Looks like it”, Tony said. “You could try </cite> <cite> and </cite> <cite> tug, but you </cite> <cite> could tear the cloak by accident… </cite> <cite> ” </cite></p><p><cite> The cloak swirled in panic </cite> <cite> at that and Strange patted it. </cite></p><p>
  <cite>“Don´t worry, we won´t tear you”, he assured and the cloak calmed. “But it looks like you´ll have to arrange with him for now.”</cite>
</p><p>
  <cite> It crossed it´s hems. </cite>
</p><p><cite>“</cite> <cite> Don´t look at me like that!”, Strange said. “I can´t do anything.” </cite></p><p>
  <cite>“Is it just me or does he talk to a cloak?”, Tony asked Shuri, who just shrugged.</cite>
</p><p>
  <cite> Strange shot both of them a warning glance and it was silent for a minute, until Tony spoke up again. </cite>
</p><p><cite>“</cite> <cite> Okay, enough of that stupid cloak. Why is the kid unconscious again?” </cite></p><p><cite>“I needed to sedate him”, Strange said deadpanned. “When he woke up he jumped at the ceiling. He wouldn´t come down, so I flew up and silenced him. </cite> <cite> At least we had removed the cannulae first or he may had ripped his skin open with that stunt. </cite> <cite> ” </cite></p><p>
  <cite> Toy snorted. </cite>
</p><p><cite>“Well, just imagine you had asked me</cite> <cite> for </cite> <cite> what to do and not immediately sedated him, then </cite> <cite> you </cite> <cite> may had your precious cloak back now.” </cite></p><p>
  <cite> Strange just stared at him, unamused, but Tony only had eyes for the kid lying on the bed. </cite>
</p><p><cite>“So he was actually fine before you knocked him out?”, he asked, </cite> <cite> kind of reproachful and Strange just grumbled. </cite></p><p>
  <cite>“Don´t make all of this my fault. The princess was here was well and she made the formula.”</cite>
</p><p><cite>“</cite> <cite> Don´t try to blame me, genius”, she immediately protested. “You´ve told everyone, that are the best person to help Peter with his condition, now </cite> <cite> face the consequences.” </cite></p><p>
  <cite>“How long will he be out?”, Tony asked, his gaze still fixed on the kid.</cite>
</p><p>
  <cite>“His metabolism still isn´t as it´s best”, Shuri said. “So I´ll say about half an hour. It was a small dose, we didn´t want to knock him out for hours, but just keep his powers from freaking out.”</cite>
</p><p>
  <cite>“Well, congratulations”, Tony said. “You did about the opposite of what you wanted.”</cite>
</p><p><cite>“I don´t need you to lecture me here”, Strange answered grumpily. “</cite> <cite> We did what we needed to do to our best knowledge.” </cite></p><p>
  <cite>“Well, maybe you should´ve asked me first, instead of shutting me out”, Tony argued, but before Strange could retort anything Shuri groaned in annoyance.</cite>
</p><p>
  <cite>“Would you pl</cite>
  <cite>e</cite>
  <cite>ase just shut up? Both of you, get out here and argue somewhere else. I will monitor Spider-Boy.” </cite>
</p><p>
  <cite>“But-”, Tony tried to argue, but was cut off by her.</cite>
</p><p><cite>“I will let you know </cite> <cite> when he wakes up”, she assured him. “But now leave. Both of you.” </cite></p><p>
  <cite> Reluctantly both men left the room, quite so far, but they threw eachother wary glances nonetheless. As soon as the door closed Shuri let out a deep sigh. </cite>
</p><p>
  <cite>“I swear, it wasn´t nearly as stressful to get that decade-long brainwashing out of Barnes´ head.”</cite>
</p><p> </p><p><cite>“</cite> <cite> She practically threw us out!”, Tony complained and Pepper sighed. </cite></p><p>
  <cite>“Tony whatever your problem is with the Doctor, it´s getting on everyone´s nerves. As long as we´re all here you need to get your act together. They all just want what´s best for Peter.”</cite>
</p><p>
  <cite> Tony grumbled. </cite>
</p><p><cite>“</cite> <cite> Then he should´ve seen what he </cite> <cite> did </cite> <cite> . </cite> <cite> I mean, he looked into the future! </cite> <cite> I could´ve stopped </cite> <cite> the kid </cite> <cite> if I´d known.” </cite></p><p>
  <cite> Pepper sighed. </cite>
</p><p><cite>“Tony, you can´t make Doctor Strange responsible for what h</cite> <cite> appened. </cite> <cite> If people find out what he is capable of they will make him responsible for so many things, but </cite> <cite> he </cite> <cite> can´t keep every bad thing from happening. That´s not how these things work. And I know you know this. You don´t need to be a genius to understand th</cite><cite>at </cite> <cite> .” </cite></p><p>
  <cite> Tony looked at his hands folded neatly in his lap. </cite>
</p><p>
  <cite>“I know”, he simply said. “It was just… easier.”</cite>
</p><p>
  <cite> Pepper smiled with pity. </cite>
</p><p>
  <cite>“I know.”</cite>
</p><p>
  <cite> She hugged him and puled him as close as she possibly could. </cite>
</p><p>
  <cite>“But it´s not your fault. And it´s not the Doctor´s fault. The only one to blame for anything, that´s happened… is Thanos.”</cite>
</p><p>
  <cite> Tony shuddered slightly at the mention of that name. </cite>
</p><p>
  <cite>“I know.”</cite>
</p>
  </div></div>
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